The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hotel Association of the Riviera Maya (AHRM), Mexico. The signing took place in late January during the Feria Internacional de Turismo (FITUR) in Madrid, Spain. This joint venture will assist AHRM initiatives to promote and implement strategies and programs for training and continuing education of this organization to identify and adopt best practices in human resources.

The project, funded by the Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank, is part of the framework of the public-private model to support the continuous development of market workers and increasing investment in the tourism sector in the Riviera Maya. It seeks to integrate different strategies in this public-private model to the continuous development of market workers in increasing investment in the tourism sector in the Riviera Maya support. AHRM provides technical assistance to providers of tourist services for the implementation of plans for tourism excellence and certification.

This agreement was signed by Jean Agarrista Marfin, President, AHRM, and Ed Kästli, EI’s vice president, international sales, who noted that this was EI’s first-ever agreement with a hotel association in Mexico. The signing was witnessed by hotel managers and authorities of the Riviera Maya, as well as the director of Tourism of Playa del Carmen, Clementina Tagus.

“Given that the goal of quality processes in tourism is to create a culture of excellence in the provision of travel services to consumers, training and certification that promotes AHRM becomes a tool for promotion and recognition, and will result in the growth and strengthening of the tourism industry,” said Agarrista Marfin.

“Training is essential to maintain the high quality standards that characterize the Riviera Maya,” said Dario Flota Ocampo, Director of the Trust for Tourism Promotion of the Riviera Maya.
For information on EI’s international partnership opportunities, visit www.ahlei.org/partners.

About the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute
Established in 1953 as a nonprofit educational foundation of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Educational Institute’s mission is to continue being the preferred provider to the lodging industry, hospitality schools, and related hospitality industries by developing and providing quality resources to train, educate, and certify hospitality professionals worldwide.